Gender Studies 101

Published: September 14, 1997

To the Editor:

As someone who is fascinated by grammar, I was initially pleased to read that Harvard is establishing a chair in gender studies (Education page, Sept. 10). I always wondered why different languages employed one, two, three or even four or more genders to classify nouns (and words agreeing with nouns).

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Harvard was really establishing a chair in study of the sexes.